Degreaser



United States Patent O DEGREASER Irwin Leonard Lans, Nutley, N. J., assignor to Metalvtash Machinery Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a copartnershrp Application October 26, 1953, Serial No. 388,403

3- Claims. Cl. 257-2) This invention relates to a cooling water arrangement for degreasers.

It is common practice for degreaser manufacturers to employ both a water condensing coil on the interior of a degreaser tank as well as a water jacket on the exterior of the tank. These twosystems are generally tied in series and water is introduced first into the jacket where it circulates therethrough into the cooling coil, then through the cooling coil and into a drain. It is` also common practice to insert the cooling water temperature regulator so that the ow of Water coming out ofA the cooling coil circulates around the thermal-bulb of thisI control. Thus as the temperature of the cooling water increases, the main valve of the control opens, permitting an increased amount' of cool waterv to circulate through the system. As the temperature of the water coming out of the condensing coil cools to the desired temperature, the' main valve closes, a slight iiow of water circulating through' the by-pass on this control to enable the change inv water temperature to occur at the thermal-bulb almost as quickly as it occurs in the coil.

One of the disadvantages of this arrangement is that by the time the control receives water of a temperature sufliciently high to cause it to open, the temperature of thel water in the coil is constantly increasing and in order for the fresh cold water to reach the coil. it has to travel first through the water jacket and then into the coil,.which causes a slight increase in the vapor level as well asa slow, sluggish action of the control. Also, cold water entering the water jacket would tendv to condense moisture on the opposite side of the jacket within the degreasing tank, and this moisture in turn tends to hydrolyze with thedegreasing solvent with a resultant break-down into an objectionable acid condition.

It is accordingly -a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved cooling water arrangement wherein the cooling water iiows first through the condensing coil and then into the external water jacket, and wherein the temperature bulb of the water regulator is located intermediate the outlet of the condensing coil and the inlet of the water jacket, thus enabling fresh cold water to rst enter the bottom section of the condensing coil, circulate upward through this coil and out and around the temperature bulb of this control, from which point it then enters the water jacket, circulates through this jacket and is then discharged into an open drain. This improved -arrangement has the following advantages: Colder water entering the coil eiects more etiicient vapor level control. The sudden chill is also removed from the water so that by the time the water reaches the upper sections of the coil it is generally above the dew point and minimizes thereby the possibility of moisture condensing on the upper section of the coil. Also, as the temperature of the water in the coil increases it immediately causes the regulator to operate, cold water immediately entering the coil to cause a reduction in coil water ternperature. Thus, the warm water leaving the regulator enters the water jacket at a temperature above the dew rice` point, which minimizes the possibility' ofmoisture formation around the interior of the water jacket, yet this water requirements for heat balance and which reduces;-

the possibility of moisture condensing inside the' tank* and thereby reduces the resulting decomposition of degreasingv solvent which increases the lifeV of the degreaser by preventing the formation ofcorrosive solutions.,

Other objects of the present invention are to provide s cooling water arrangement for degreasers bearing theabove objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is easy to use and ecient in operation.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention,.reference may be had to the following detailedf description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective viewof a degreaser, shown partly broken away, and showing the: cooling water arrangement embodying the features-of the present invention incorporated thereon, and

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of awater regulator, shown partly broken away to show the interior construction thereof.

' Referring` now more in. detail to the drawing, in whichsimilar reference numerals identify corresponding parts:` throughout the several views, 10 represents a degreaserincluding a main tankll and a side tank 12, substantially as illustrated.

An external Water jacket 13 extends around the mairr tank 11 and side tank. 12,v a baille or dam. 14 being pro-l vided at one corner thereof. An outlet 16 is provided for the jacket, the outlet 16 being provided on one side of dam I4 and being connected to a drain by means of suit able piping, not shown. An inlet 15 also provided on the other side of dam 14. l

A condensing coil 17 is mounted in the top of the sidei tank sidevtank 12 below jacket 13. The outlet end of the coil- 17 is releasably connected to an. outlet 20 by means of a pipe union 21, the outlet 20 being suitably mountedA in the end wall of side tank 12 above the jacket 13.

In the practice of the present invention, a pipe elbow 22 is provided on the outer end of condenser coil inlet 18 and serves to mount a vertical pipe 23 connected to a second vertical pipe 24 directly above by means of a pipe union 25. A second elbow 26 is provided on the upper end of Vertical pipe 24 and serves to mount a horizontal pipe 27 which is connected to the outlet of a water regulator or thermostatic valve 28 of any suitable type which bases its operation and action on the temperature of the cooling liquid. A second horizontal pipe 29 is connected to the inlet of the water regulator 28, a liquid strainer 30 being connected to the outer end of pipe 29 and connecting with a suitable source of cooling-` water, not shown. Thus, cooling water will iiow in thedirection of the arrows of Figure 1 through strainer 30A into pipe 29, through the water regulator 28 into pipe- 27, and downwardly through vertical pipes 24 and 23` into the inlet 18 of the condenser coil 17.

The valve 28 is of well known construction and iu-` cludes a hollow depending portion 31 within which is housed the usual temperature bulb or thermostatic con-A trol 32 (Fig. 2).

A pipe T 33 is screwed onto the externally threaded bottom of `the depending portion 31 and houses there- Patented Mar'. 5, 195.7'

for the jacket is` l2, the inlet of the coil 17 being releasably con-fv nected to an inlet 18 by means of a pipe union 19,.tliev inlet 1:8' being suitably mounted in the end wall of the within the temperature bulb 32. A hrizontal pipe 34 ismsrewed into the horizontal outlet of T 33 and is connected to a vertical pipe 35 by means of elbow 36. The lower end of vertical pipe 35 is connected to a second vertical pipe 37 directly below by means of a pipe union 38, the lower end of pipe 37 being connected to the inlet 15 of water jacket 13 by means of an elbow 39. A vertical pipe 40 is screwed into the bottom outlet of T 33, the lower end of pipe 4i) being connected to the outlet 20 of coil 17 by means of T 4i.

Thus, cooling water leaving from the outlet 26 of condenser coil 17 is conducted upwardly through vertical pipe 40 into the T 33 where it contacts the temperature bulb 32 as it passes into the horizontal pipe 34 and downwardly 'into the water jacket inlet 15 through the pipes 35 and 37. Thus, the water regulator or thernrostatic valve 2S is controlled by the temperature of the water intermediate the loutlet of the condenser coil 17 and the inlet of the water jacket 13, providing better and more accurate control of theA height of the vapor level than complished: Colder water entering the coil effects more efficient vapor level control. The sudden chill is also removed from the water so that by the time the Water reaches the upper sections of the coil it is generally above the dew point and minimizes thereby the possibility of moisture condensing on the upper section of the coil. Also, as the temperature of the water in the coil increases it immediately causes the regulator to operate, cold water immediately entering the coil to cause a reduction in coil water temperature. Thus, the warm water leaving the regulator enters the water jacket at a temperature above the dew point, which .minimizes the possibility' of moisture formation around the interior of the Water jacket, yet this water is still at a temperature low enough to affect good control of the free board zone. With this arrangement the following is also accomplished: More eicient control of the vapor level, minimum water requirements for heat balance, and minimum possibility of moisture forming and causing a resultant decomposition of the degreasing solvent, which in turn tends to increase the life of the degreaser by reducing the possibility oi corrosive substances.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes .shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A cooling water arrangement for a degreaser comprising a main tank and a sidey tank in communication with each other, an external water jacket surrounding said main and side tanks, a baille within said water jacket, an inlet in said jacket on one side of said battle, an outlet in'said jacket on the other side of said bale, an elongated vertically disposed helical condensing coil mounted within the top of said side tank and exposed to the vapors of degreasing solvent to be condensed, an inlet for said coil, an outlet for said coil, trst pipe means for supplying cooling liquid to said inlet of said condensing coil, valve means mounted in said first pipe means, a pipe T having one end substantially closed o the flow of cooling liquid, said end being connected to said valve means, a thermally responsive element disposed within said pipe T, control means cooperatively associated with said thermal element and said valve means to regulate said valve means, second pipe means connecting a rst outlet of said pipe T with said outlet of said condensing coil, a third pipe means connecting a second outlet of said pipe T with said inlet of said Water References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,115,502 Carroll et al. Nov. 3, 1914 2,091,187 Savage Aug. 24, 1937 2,123,439 Savage July 12, 1938 2,223,595 Blakeslee Dec. 3, 1940 2,447,840 Boss Aug. 24, 1948 2,692,96l Fondiller Oct. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 12, 193,4 

